Hopes that Maurice Fitzgerald could be coaxed back to the Kerry football panel appear to be fading.

The former Allstar did not attend country training on Tuesday evening.

The Kerry squad were getting together for the first time since the healing of the well-publicised rift between manager Paidi O Se and trainer John O'Keeffe.

There has been speculation that a Fitzgerald return to the panel was imminent but it now appears that the 32 year-old's position hasn't changed.

"I've made my position clear to the people that count," Fitzgerald told the Irish Times.

Giles unavailable

"I don't want to comment any further than that but maybe they didn't get the answer that they wanted to hear".

Fitzgerald has not lined out for the county since coming on as a sub in the 2001 All-Ireland Semi-Final hammering.

Kerry will begin their Allianz National Football League campaign against Cork on Saturday night week.

Meanwhile, Trevor Giles will miss the majority of Meath's NFL campaign.

The former Allstar is currently on a working holiday in Australia and won't return to Ireland until late March.